Comparison · small hatchbacks
Ford Fiesta vs Skoda Fabia: which is more reliable?
The Skoda Fabia does better at the MOT, with a score of 100 against 94 for the Ford Fiesta, comparing each with cars of the same age. Based on 1,588,283 real MOT tests in 2024.
Ford Fiesta
Skoda Fabia
By age
MOT Rank score for each age group (100 = an average car that age).
| Age at test | Ford Fiesta | Skoda Fabia |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 years | 100About average | 99About average |
| 6–9 years | 94Below average | 100About average |
| 10–14 years | 93Below average | 106Above average |
| 15+ years | 94Below average | 94Below average |
Year by year
Share that passed first time, same registration year.
| Year | Ford Fiesta | Skoda Fabia |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 86.6% | 86.4% |
| 2020 | 86.7% | 85.8% |
| 2019 | 85.8% | 84.7% |
| 2018 | 84.1% | 80.1% |
| 2017 | 76.4% | 77.8% |
| 2016 | 68.7% | 76.3% |
| 2015 | 67.3% | 76.5% |
| 2014 | 64.7% | 73.6% |
| 2013 | 61.9% | 71.6% |
| 2012 | 58.8% | 68.1% |
| 2011 | 58.1% | 66.2% |
| 2010 | 55.4% | 63.0% |
| 2009 | 54.0% | 56.8% |
| 2008 | 53.8% | 53.1% |
| 2007 | 54.2% | 53.9% |
| 2006 | 52.6% | 51.7% |
| 2005 | 52.7% | 52.9% |
| 2004 | 52.9% | 51.0% |
| 2003 | 54.1% | 51.1% |
| 2002 | 55.4% | 52.9% |
| 2001 | 56.6% | 56.1% |
| 2000 | 54.7% | 55.7% |
Problem areas
Failure items per 100 tests.
| Area | Ford Fiesta | Skoda Fabia |
|---|---|---|
| Lights & electrics | 22.1 | 14.1 |
| Suspension | 15.3 | 11.8 |
| Brakes | 7.7 | 13.1 |
| Tyres | 9.0 | 7.3 |
| Emissions & leaks | 5.2 | 5.0 |
| Visibility (wipers, screen, mirrors) | 5.2 | 4.8 |
| Body & chassis | 3.9 | 5.2 |
| Steering | 3.9 | 1.8 |
Ford Fiesta: top failures
Skoda Fabia: top failures
Questions
Which is more reliable, the Ford Fiesta or the Skoda Fabia?
The Skoda Fabia does better at the MOT, with a score of 100 against 94 for the Ford Fiesta, comparing each with cars of the same age.
Which years of the Ford Fiesta and Skoda Fabia can be compared?
Both were tested for 22 registration years (2000–2021). The Ford Fiesta had the higher pass rate in 11 of them and the Skoda Fabia in 11.
What fails most on each?
Ford Fiesta: stop lamp: not working; suspension arms - ball joint: ball joint excessively worn. Skoda Fabia: suspension arms - pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn; joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt.